Croatia is fast becoming one of the best destinations for digital nomads and one of the most thriving year-round expat and nomad locations is in Split.
Split has a growing and thriving digital nomad scene, with several meetups, Facebook groups, expat events, nomad companies and coworking spaces that all cater towards digital nomads.
And of course, a great cafe culture is part of life in Croatia. So if you’re a digital nomad in Split, Croatia, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are plenty of digital nomad friendly cafes in Split to work from!
Laptop working in Split, Croatia
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Tips on laptop cafe culture
One of the biggest gripes from local communities and small businesses all over the world is when nomads come in, take a seat in a cafe for 8 hours and only buy one coffee.
Don’t give digital nomads a bad reputation. Here are some tips for being respectful if you’re working in a cafe.
If it’s a small or very popular place, probably avoid sitting there for hours and taking a table from other customers
If you are sitting somewhere for several hours, order more than one coffee. A couple of drinks and lunch there is part of the nomad experience if you’re working in cafes
Working at a cafe or restaurant outside peak times is best e.g. not during the dinner rush
Be polite and respectful to staff
Find places that aren’t on the main tourist thoroughfare - you’re more likely to get moved on in these places as they prioritise tourists
A quick note on safety - while Croatia has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, of course you should take precautions whenever you travel, especially if you’re travelling with you gadgets and electronics. Petty theft and crimes can increase during the busy summer seasons in popular cities like Split or Dubrovnik.
For this reason, I highly recommend checking your travel insurance covers electronic items.
I personally use SafetyWing which is a travel medical insurance that allows a pay as you go subscription that’s charged monthly (you can cancel anytime but I love the rolling coverage so I don’t have to worry about checking if I’m covered or constantly renewing a policy) and the monthly subscription gives you coverage from just a few dollars a day. It’s always been perfect for my needs as I’m often moving around as a digital nomad and it covers travel delay, lost luggage and trip interruption across 180 countries but you can also easily add on electronic theft insurance for up to $3000 worth of electronic valuables. While the travel medical insurance aspect covers up to $250,000 of medical expenses.
Don’t worry if you’re reading this while you’re already working in a cafe or sitting in the airport ready to fly to your next destination, because SafetyWing will even let you take out coverage if you’re trip has already started and there’s no approval needed. It only takes 5 minutes to purchase to make sure you’re covered and their $0 deductible means you're covered even for smaller claims. You can get coverage for over 180 countries and they have 24/7 customer support with an online chat with a under 1 minute response time. Although I don’t have children, you can also add under-10s for free to any adult policy so it’s perfect for families travelling on a budget.
Having insurance for myself and my belongings has made having insurance a non-negotiable for me as a digital nomad. SafetyWing travel medical insurance is one of the most affordable options for peace of mind while you’re travelling long term.
Are there coworking spaces in Split, Croatia?
If you’re not a cafe worker then there are absolutely some alternatives for coworking spaces in Split. Of course you’ll pay a fee at these places but you can stay as long as you like, there’s plenty of plugs, refreshments available and some have meeting rooms you can book out too.
Smartspace
The Works Coworking
TinkTank Coworking
The best cafes to work from in Split, Croatia
If you’re looking for the best cafes to work on a laptop in Split, I’ve got a few recommendations after living in Croatia for a year!
Some of these are more well-known spots for Split digital nomads, others are some places I’ve discovered which have been great for a quick hour or two of quiet work while I’m on the go.
D16 Coffee
D16 outdoor area
A specialty coffee shop in Split Old Town that’s an institution for digital nomads looking to work in a cafe!
They are small but do great coffee, have plugs inside and nice outdoor seating too in a cosy corner of Old Town.
They are digital nomad friendly and I’ll usually stay 2-3 hours and have several coffees.
Coffee price: About 2 Euros for an Americano
Cookie Lab
A popular spot for digital nomads in Split who live near the Bacvice area.
Cookie Lab is a cute cafe and pastry shop which is digital nomad friendly and has a small but well-equipped seating space inside.
Coffee price: About 2 Euros for an Americano
VOGA Specialty Coffee Shop
VOGA
A newer coffee shop that’s open near Bacvice and owned by the partner of a friend of mine who works in the digital nomad industry in Croatia. This means the coffee shop is well set up for digital nomads.
There are sofas, tables and plugs with good wifi and there’s no smoking inside.
This is one for coffee lovers, with specialty coffee served and lunch bites are available, including vegetarian options. It’s quiet and I always have a productive visit here.
Just a quick note that it’s currently cash only!
Coffee price: About 2 Euros for an Americano
Basta
Basta
I love working at Basta for the views, although I only go here for casual work like admin or writing work when I don’t have any client calls.
Basta is popular with locals and tourists alike and it’s situated on the water with incredible views of the harbour.
I love to snag one of the front sofa spots that face out to the water and I personally love to work here on a Thursday or Friday with a coffee, then have a pizza or beer in the afternoon when my work day is over!
Definitely best to work on a weekday and during the day, evenings and weekends are busy!
Coffee price: About 3 Euros for an Americano
Ambasador Hotel
Ambasador Hotel Cafe
Right next to Basta is the newly build Ambasador Hotel - one of the best luxury hotels in Split.
While I haven’t stayed there, they do have a popular restaurant bar with indoor and outdoor seating and it’s also become a popular spot for digital nomads, working, casual meet ups and coffee calls.
Although the setting is beautiful and the service is great - this one is definitely more pricey though!
Coffee price: Abiout 4 Euros for an Americano
Kavana Central/Santa Lucia Hotel Rooftop
Kavana Central rooftop
This one is a real hidden gem, I told locals about it and they didn’t even know it exists!
The Santa Lucia hotel is in Narodni Trg, the square in the centre of the Old Town. Their cafe is a great option for working inside and if you need plugs or you’re visiting in colder weather, I recommend the cafe for working.
However they also have a rooftop that opens in good weather and the views across the rooftops of the old town are spectacular.
I only go here if I need some peace and quiet during the day to get my freelance writing done, it wouldn’t be great if you need to make a call and I usually have to use my own hotspot for wifi. But it’s definitely a unique and often quiet spot - especially in the spring before the season starts.
Coffee price: About 2 Euros for an Americano
Bepa!
Bepa! Breakfast
Right next door to Kavana Central is Bepa! I love Bepa for breakfast or brunch working. The inside is cosy, food is good and the service is great.
Inside is small but there’s also an outdoor area, so I never hang out too long - but it’s one of my favourites for somewhere to eat breakfast and work.
Coffee price: 3 Euros for an Americano
Food Court at Joker Mall
Opa, Joker Mall
This is like my secret spot because it’s outside the old town and it’s actually on the top floor of the Joker Shopping Mall which is where my gym is.
If you’re spending some time in Split, I highly recommend the gym here but the food court is also great, with a Greek restaurant, Chinese restaurant, cafes and outdoor roof terrace too.
The Joker Mall wifi is free and decent, plus there are loads of plugs in the Opa Greek restaurant section and it’s a large space - plenty of space to work without disrupting anyone and there are never any tourists there, so prices are decent.
Coffee price: About 3 Euros for an Americano
Brasserie on 7
B7 terrace on Split Riva
This is the only place I ever recommend on the Riva waterfront area in Split because the staff are lovely, the views are great, it doesn’t have loud music like a lot of the other spots along the Riva and it’s the first place I ever went on a digital nomad meetup when we arrived in Split.
Also called B7, I would probably only recommend working here in September-May months as it can get very busy when the peak season starts and the menu gets more expensive in the summer.
But I love to sit in the outdoor area here with a view of the water, a coffee and perhaps treat myself to one of their famous tiered breakfasts if I’m hungry!
You also have access to the Split public wifi here, just don’t forget to use a VPN for security!
Coffee price: About 3 Euros for an Americano
Hotel Briig
This super modern, boutique hotel in Split is surprisingly remote worker friendly and is amazingly located right next to Bacvice beach - so you can enjoy a spot of swimming or sunbathing at the end of your work session!
As well as an indoor cafe, they have an outdoor patio area which is shaded if you want to work outside. There are also plenty of work booths and spaces inside the lobby and ground floor area.
They also have a rooftop cafe bar although I’d imagine this is super busy in the summer months so this is another one I’d only recommend trying out in the off season months.
Summary: best cafes to work in Split, Croatia
Split has so much to offer digital nomads, including great work spaces for remote work, great coffee and a beautiful city to work in.
Hopefully this gives you plenty of ideas and spaces to work in if you prefer to work in cafes as a digital nomad or just need to get out the house!
